Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Paul Addis (L): Kent, WA City Council candidate is Listening to the City for 2017

Paul Addis (L) for Kent City Council

Paul Addis joins the Liberty Chronicle Independent once again after his 2016 run in WA for Lt. Governor. You can see his previous interview with us here. For more information on Paul, you can visit his website and follow him on Twitter and Like his page on Facebook.DM: Welcome back to the LCI Mr. Addis! After your hard work on your 2016 WA Lt. Governor run as a Libertarian, you are back in the fray running
for local opening position in Kent, WA. What is the position you are
running for and how many opponents do you expect to run against?

PA: Thanks
for having me back, David. And thanks for all your efforts at Liberty
Chronicle, which gives a voice to those who are active in defending
individual liberties around the country.

In
2017, I am running for a City Council seat in Kent, WA. Based on past
races here I would expect no more than one or two other opponents, which
will be a nice change from the 11-candidate race I was recently
involved in for Lt. Governor. I’m looking forward to running to serve my
local community, where I think the majority of the decision making
belongs.

DM: Going local will help you impact your community directly, right
away. What issues do you see in your city that you want to address?

PA:Yes,
I am very involved in my community already, working with charities
& foundations. Being on the City Council is just one more way to
serve my neighbors. Generally speaking, I see the role of City Council
member as a steward, or watchdog, of the finances of the city. The
revenues coming into the city belong to the people of Kent. Therefore it
is a great responsibility to make sure the funds are spent on the
things that help the people the most. Prioritizing spending, while
minimizing the tax burden on the residents is an important balancing
act. Kent is growing fast and there are many competing interests looking
for an advantage within the myriad of current and future development
projects. Making sure Kent has a balanced approach to growth, while
addressing the concerns of all stakeholders is an important and complex
task. I’m looking forward to that challenge, and my experience as a
Project Manager at a Fortune 500 company overseeing multi-million dollar
projects will certainly pay dividends in that role. I also believe that
the entire process of local governance should be as transparent as
possible. Technology can help with both transparency and accountability,
and I hope we are able to utilize the best tools for that job in Kent.

I
have recently been made aware of a couple of incidents in Kent where
residents did not get a straight answer on issues related to public
works. Both myself and my boss, who also lives in Kent, had difficulty
finding resolution to a broken street light and a water shut off valve,
respectively, because different agencies passed the buck back and forth
without taking responsibility for resolving the issue. It is clear that
there is confusion among those being paid to serve our community. That
should not happen, and it would be an advantage to deal with these types
of issues from within the local government apparatus.

I
would also like to make sure Kent is a business-friendly town. With the
increasing burden on small businesses related to rising labor costs in
Washington State, I would like to make sure that Kent uses every option
at our disposal to provide financial incentives to make it easier to do
business here.

Paul Addis speaking at the 2016 LPWA State Convention

DM:Kent residents will be glad to hear about your approach to this
position. What other ways do you plan on interacting with the community
to make sure their voices are heard and you are able to represent them?

PA:Being
a resident of Kent and being involved in various activities and
organizations around town, I certainly have my ‘ear to the ground’. I’m
always listening to the people around me to see what they’re talking
about. The other day, as my wife & I were eating lunch, the manager
of the restaurant was discussing with us the challenge their chain will
face in Seattle when the minimum wage goes up to $15. He was concerned
they may have to lay off some of their staff because of the increase in
labor costs. When those types of issues come up in Kent, I want to make
sure that both the voice of the workers and the business owners are
heard before we make decisions on policy.

Other
than that, I plan to visit organizations and events that represent the
multiple interest groups in the community. That would include events and
organizations that have an interest in education, parks,
transportation, infrastructure, business and public service such as
police and fire. In my opinion, being a representative at any level of
government is a proactive endeavor. Residents of Kent are busy making
this a special place to live, work and play. They don’t need to add any
more to their plate by feeling the need to come see me. I should be
willing to go where they are to see how they’re faring in this great
city we all love. Of course, my door will always be open to those I
serve.

DM: Excellent news for those in Kent to know you will be there for them
and their concerns. What plans do you have for your campaign trail
that volunteers or donors would be interested in hearing about? What
are your media links for readers to follow you on?

We’ll
be doing some canvassing of neighborhoods in Kent to get the word out
during the campaign, and perhaps some phone calling & sign waving as
well. Volunteers are welcome and appreciated. Anyone who is interested
can contact us through the website.

Paul Addis was a volunteer for the 2016 Gary Johnson Seattle Rally visit

DM:That's excellent news, Mr. Addis. In closing, what final thoughts would
you like to leave with readers and potential voters of Kent, for Paul
Addis as City Councilman?

PA:I’d just like to
say that I don’t see this as a competition of good vs bad choices. I’m
sure every candidate in this race wants to serve the city of Kent with
good intentions. As long as there are average citizens who are willing
to step up and volunteer for local positions, Kent will be just fine. I
applaud my opponents, and may the best person win.

As
for me, if elected, I will do my best to serve with integrity, honesty
and transparency. I will always lean toward less taxation, more choices,
maximum use of technology, less regulation and continuous improvement
in processes while utilizing my experience and skills to make that
happen. I promise to be a good steward of the revenues generated by the
hard working people of Kent.